Kukla's Korner Hockey

The NHL is a deadline league. Thursday, when the players open camp with physicals, represents a critical date. There is urgency on both sides to put pen to paper by then. But to this point, that looming checkpoint has not initiated enough progress to produce a handshake.

“Maybe not for the start of training camp, because it’s kind of getting down to the wire,” Bergeron said of welcoming back one of his regular linemates. “But yeah, I am [optimistic]. I’m hoping they can come to an agreement. Hopefully it’s sooner rather than later. That being said, we’ll see what happens.”

In such disagreements, there is no black and white. The truth is in the middle, where compromises take place.

Perhaps the Bruins will acknowledge that paying Pastrnak a higher average annual value than David Krejci ($7.25 million) does not stand for a loss. Maybe Pastrnak will understand that rubbing financial elbows with $8.5 million man Leon Draisaitl is not a priority.

To this point, neither side has stepped off the hills where they’ve planted their flags. If this difference of opinion continues into camp, there will be no winner when Pastrnak ultimately signs his contract.